March 25, 2004 Why Do Neighbors Have Different Environmental Priorities? A contextual interpretation of environmental risk perception in Beirut
Dr. Abbas El-Zein
Associate Professor, Environmental Health Department, FHS

    Differences in environmental risk perception have been explained using cultural theory, attitude theory, socio-economic indicators or the characteristics of the risk itself. The complex dynamics of access to environmental resources in cities add new dimensions to the perception of urban environmental risk. A quantitative interpretation of environmental risk perception in a Beirut neighborhood is presented, using five sets of explanatory variables: socio-economic status, behavior, health, locality and environmental perception.